1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a microwave pulse source for generating microwave pulses, and more particularly to an economical microwave pulse source which is small in size yet capable of easily generating microwave pulses with a large power.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Oscillators capable of generating millimeter-wave pulses with a large power of several kW or more are required in millimeter wave radar and in scientific experiments such as nuclear fusion tests. For instance, in experiments using a medium sized tokamak fusion test reactor, if millimeter-wave pulses from a gyrotron are used at the rising time of electric current to cause the preliminary ionization at the electron cyclotron resonance frequency, the one-turn voltage for starting the discharge can be reduced to less than one half the value without the millimeter-wave pulse application, and the capacity of the core for the toroidal current can be reduced.
To generate high-power millimeter-wave pulses, klystrons and gyrotrons have been used heretofore. The devices of the prior art for generating such millimeter-wave pulses, however, have a shortcoming in that they are bulky because high-voltage sources and coils for producing strong magnetic fields are necessary.